abbott



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. N. ABBOTT.

GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

No. 345,354. Patented July '13, 1886.

WITNESSES IIVVE/VTOI? A TOR/V5) N. PETERS. Phcio-Lflhogmphur,Waihinglcn. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT rrron.

NOEL ABBOTT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 345,354, dated July 13,1886.

Application filed December 2, 1885. Serial No. 184,457. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NOEL ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gripping Apparatusfor Cable Railways; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification.

The object of my'invention is to provide for the movable jaws of acable'gripping apparatus of an anti-friction yielding device and brake,which will enable the seizure of the cable to be made gradually and themotion to the car either in starting or stopping conveyed in degreeswithout imparting shock thereto and lessening friction upon the cable,and also to provide means for simplifying the action of throwing thecable away from the control of the cable-grip apparatus and enable thedepressing-plates to be actuated with less degree of friction; and itconsists in the novel'means and mechanism hereinafter fully described,and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved grippingapparatus, showing the jaws of .the grip released from the cable and thecable held by the carrying'rollers. Fig. 2 is a side view in detail ofthe lower portion of the gripping apparatus, showing the position of theyielding rollers and brakeblocks when the jaws are gripping the cable.Fig. 3 is a front view of the tripping-lever. Fig. 4. is a detail sideview of the trippingpawl, and showing the means for upsetting the pawl.Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the yielding roller, taken on the line noof Fig. 1, showing portion of jaw of grip in open position. Fig. 6 is asimilar view of Fig. 5, showing position ofjaw of grip closed upon thecable.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

In the construction of my improved gripping apparatus I attach to thehorizontal supof the depressingplates b b.

porting and pivot beam r the opposite vertical fixed side plates, q g,which are arranged I a suitable distance apart to receive between saidplates the movable elevating and depressing plates (1 and b b, and areconnected at their lower ends to a horizontal beam, 7'', said plates andbeams forming the frame to the apparatus. Between the fixed side plates,4 q, is arranged a movable cross-head, b consisting of plates attachedhorizontally to the depressingplates at their upper ends and withextension guideplates, which extend from the crosshead I) laterally overa suitable portion of the vertical side plates,q q, and from oppositesides of said cross-head, thereby forminga guide to the cross-head, andretaining said cross-head between the side plates, (1 q, and guiding itsmovements. The central and lower portion of the cross-head b is cut awayin a transverse relation, to permit the upward movement of the pivot aon lever 0, attached to elevating plate a, and to the opposite ends ofsaid movable cross-head are attached the upper ends To the lower ends ofthe depressing-plates bb, and upon the face side,isattached thehorizontal upper grip-jaw,b". Between the movable depressingplates 1) bis fitted an elevating-plate,a,which slides at its upper end between theopposite vertical depressing-plates b b and between the plates of thecross head b. To the side and lower end of the elevating-plate a isattached the horizontal lower grip-jaw, a, both of said jaws a and I)"being upon one relative side of the grip apparatus and in oppositegripping relation to each other. Upon the side of the grip apparatushaving said jaws a 5*, Iattach to the upper end of the elevatingplate aone end of a lever, e, by means of the pivot (1*, which pivot projectsso far outwardly as to permit the lever e to be attached without bindingupon the cross-head b in its toand-fro movement. Thelever 6 extendsabove the supporting or pivot beam 1, and is connected pivotally to ahorizontal operating-lever 8. Upon the opposite side of thegripapparatus and to the upper portion of the crosshead b", I attach one endof a short togglelever, To the operating-lever s, I then attach one endof a short lever, f, at the same point of attachment onsaid'operating-lever as the lever e is attached, the bolt s passingthrough the operating-lever s, and, for a proper fulcrum, I pass throughsaid leverf, atapoint removed from the center toward its opposite end,and also through the upper portion of the pivot-beam r, the pivot n. Theopposite or lower end of said leverf is then pivotally attached at f tothe upper end of the toggle or short lever g. Thus it will be seen thatas the operating-lever s throws the lever e, attached to theelevating-plate (0, toward the pivot a, the lever f, fulcrumed at a,elevates said lever e a corresponding distance, governed by theleugth oflever fbeyond its fulcrum n, and in the same movement of theoperating-lever s the pivotal end of the short or toggle lever g at itspoint of connection with the lower end of lever fis thrown in thedirection of lever e, the cross-head to which said short or toggle-leverg is attached being depressed, and the jaws a b of the grip apparatusthrown together, while a reverse movement of the'levers cf acts to throwthe jaws apart. Beneath the pivotbeam r is arranged the horizontal beams9, one upon each side of the grip apparatus, by means of which the gripapparatus is suspended from the car. Between the opposite plates, whichmake the head-block b and near the inner edge of the vertical fixed sideplates,q q, and rotating upon suitable pivots, are the anti-frictionrollers 0 o, the periphery of said rollers bearing upon the edge of saidside plates, q g.

'In the construction of the yielding anti-friction devices for the jawsof the gripping apparatus I make in the opposite ends of each of theupper and lower jaws a vertical longitudinal slot, z, of'the properdepth and width to receive the grooved rollers 0 0. Through the sides ofthe jaws a and b, and in a transverse relation to the slot z, I make avertical slot. z, through which I introduce the pin z which passesthrough the center of roller 0 and permits said roller to turn with saidpin z in the said slot 2. A portion of the grip jaws a b is made ofincreased width upon the side of thejaw,through which therollers c areintroduced, and the vertical slot through said portion enables the slotz to be given its proper depth, and also to conceal a portion of theyielding rollers c c. The depth of the vertical slot z enables therollers c c to project within the jaws of the grip, and arearranged'opposite each other. A

For checking the rotation at the proper time, and to permit a gradualyielding of the rollers c 0, I arrange in the vertical slot 2, over eachroller, a brake-block, (1. These brakeblocks are made curved upon oneside, to inclose a portion of the grooved rollers, and are provided witha suitable head, which fits the groove in said rollers, as shown in thecrosssection of Figs. 5 and 6, and are placed in the vertical slots inthe jaw b" from its upper side and against the pulleys in the lower jaw,a, from the under side. The rear end of each brake-block is made of anincreased width, and is pivotally attached at its lower end by pivot 03to a small lug, 0;, upon the grip-jaws. To the upper portion of the rearend of the brake-block I pivotally attach one end of a bolt, 3/, and asuitable distance in rear of the end of the brake-block I attach tothejaw a lug, '11, which lug is perforated transversely, and throughwhich lug I insert the opposite end of the bolt 3 The boltyis providedwith a collar, w", fixedly attached to said bolt in rear of the point ofconnection with the brakeblock, and around said bolt is arranged thespiral spring u, oneend of which bears against the collar w and theopposite end against the lug c on the grip-jaw.

For the purpose of throwing the cable from the control of thecarrying-rollers, I form upon the extreme ends of the lower grip-beam,1' and upon the upper portion of said beam, a vertical guide-post, k. Ithen make the tripping-lever k of a suitable length to extend from thebottom of the grip-beam to a point slightly above the upper jaw, b, ofthe grip and to play between the guide-post k and the fixed side plates,q q. In the upper portion of the lever, I'make a vertical slot, Z, andupon the vertical guide-post k, I place a pin, l, which pin enters theslot 1 when the lever is in place and sliding on said post It, thelength of said slot limiting the upward play of said lever. I thenattach to the lever k, midwayits length and so as to projectlaterallytherefrom and in a transverse relation to the grip-beam W, a conicalroller, h, the surface of said roller being tapered from said levertoward its outer end. From the extreme end of the conical roller h thelever in is made with a wing, it, inclined to the lower end of the leverk, and an opposite wing is made upon an opposite side thereto, whichprovides for an open slot, k which slot is of the relative width of thegrip-beamr and permits the wings k to pass on each side of saidgrip-beam. A portion of the grip-beam is cut away transversely on thepath of the lever it, to permit the lever to descend below the line ofthe rollers c 0, upon thelower grip-jaw, and give the field necessaryfor the fall of said lever.

For the purpose of automatically releasing the lever k, I attach to therear portion one end of the upper gripjaw the centrally-pivoted pawl t,and in the path of said pawl, and upon the upper end of the lever k,opposite thereto, I form thelipk. Upon the outeredge of the verticalfixed side plates, qq, and in the path of the said pawl i, I place alug, m. The pawl i is made with a rear curved extension, t", whichextension strikes against the lug m, and the opposite end, extending inthe opposite direction in a more direct line, engages with the lip k onlever k.

In the operation of my improved gripI have designed that the gripapparatus proper shall be located near the center and beneath the car,and with the operating-lever 8 extended to the end of the car andoperated at that point. This is, however, immaterial. The lever may becontinued directly above the grip apparatus into the center of the car,and operated at that point when found more convenient. When thrownforward, or in the direction indicated by the increased length of theoperating-lever s, the action of the depressing-levers f and g depressthe cross-head b and, obviously, the grip-jaw b and in combined movementthe lever e elevates the plate a and the lower gripjaw, a. The cable Ifis supported upon the carrying rollers j, and lies between the jaws ofthe grip apparatus, so that it will be seen that as the jaws b and aapproach each other the yielding rollers 0 cfirst engage the cable t,and as the pressure upon the cableis increased the yielding rollers c care thrown into the position indicated in Fig. 6, and as the finalpressure is applied the pivots of said rollers will be in the extremeupper and lower end of the slots of the upper and lowerjaws,respeetively. In this position the brake-blocks d are brought to bearfirmly upon the groove of the rollers by the consequent compression ofthe spring a on the bolt '1, and the action of said rollers is under thecontrol of the said brake-blocks until the jaws of the grip have seizedthe cable, thereby enabling the cable driven by power to be seized andits momentum conveyed to the grip-jaws and to the car in degrees withoutshock, the action of the rollers being retarded by the brake-blocks, thefriction consequent upon sudden grasp of the cable by the grip-jawsbeing avoided. Upon releasing the grip-jaws the rollers are againbrought into play, and the act of stopping the car is rendered moreeffective by the gradual diminution of friction afforded by the rollersand brake blocks. WVhen it is desired to throwthe cable fromthe controlofthe cable-carrying rollers, the upper grip-jaw is elevated beyond itsusual point necessary to release the cable. This is accomplished by themovement of the operatinglever contrary to the movement required tograsp the cable, and this action elevates the upper grip jaw, the pawlupon which catches the tripping-lever and carries said lever upwardly,the conical roller upon which lever engages with the cable, and it istripped over the carrying-rollers to one side. When the lever hasreached its ultimate height, the rear end of the pawl comes in contactwith the lug m on the side plate, q q, and the pawl releases the lever,then permitting the lever to fall by its own weight to its normalposition. In operating the lever s from the end of the car, the rollers.0 0 prevent the depressing-plates from binding against the fixed sideplates and increasing the ease of movement.

Having fully described my invention, what I now claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1.-The combination, with thegrip-jaws, of the yielding grasping-rollersjournaled therein, and the spring-held brake-blocks in contacttherewith, as and for the purpose specilied.

2. The combination, with the grip-jaws, of the yielding grasping-rollersjournaled therein, and brake-blocks in contact with said rollers andpivotally attached to said jaw at one end, a bolt pivoted to said end ofbrake-block opposite to its point of attachment to the said jaw, aperforated lug on said jaw, and a spring between said brakeblock andsaid lug, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the inovablejaws of a grip, of anelevating-lever and a fulcrumed depressing and toggle-jointed lever, asand for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the supporting or pivot beam of a grippingapparatus and the movablejaws of said apparatus, of a depressing-leverfulcrurned on said pivot-beam, and a toggle-joint of said leverpivotally attached thereto, adapted to depress one of said jaws of thegrip, and an elevating-lever pivotally attached to said depressing-leverand to an opposite movable jaw, as and for the purpose specified 5. Thecombination, with the lower gripbeam of the gripping apparatus, and thevertical fixed side plates, and the movable upperjaw of said apparatus,ofatripping-lever arranged on said beam and provided with a lateral andinclined antifriction device, and a lip on said lever, a pawl on saidmovable jaw provided with a rear curved extension, and a lug on the saidfixed guide-plates in the path of said pawl, as and for the purposespecified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27th dayofNoveniber, 1885.

NOEL ABBOTT. n s] Vtitnesses:

E. F. ALLEN,

CHAS. E. HOOHSTETLER.

